Bohemians 2-1 UCD

Bohemians made a winning start to their Aitricity League Premier Division campaign when accounting for ten-man UCD 2-1 by at a misty Dalymount Park tonight.

The hosts took the lead in the 21st minute when Chris Lyons converted from the spot after Mark Langtry’s sending-off but UCD levelled matters ten minutes into the second-half through a David McMillan penalty.

The winner arrived in the 65th minute when the lively Keith Devaney took advantage of Lyons’ pass to fire in a powerful winner for the hosts.

The visitors made the more impressive opening, forcing three corner kicks inside the opening ten minutes and centre-half David O’Connor almost made the breakthrough in the 17th minute but his arched header whistled wide of Dean Delany’s left-hand upright.

With barely an attack to their name, the hosts opened the scoring in controversial circumstances as Mark Langtry was adjudged to have impeded Lyons inside the area with the penalty award then being compounded by Langtry’s dismissal.

Lyons showed little sympathy from the resultant spot kick, sending Barron the wrong way as Bohs made the most of their apparent luck.

Ryan McEvoy almost doubled that advantage with a cracking drive in the 27th minute as UCD struggled to realign themselves following Langtry’s sending-off although the hosts showed little inclination in taking instant advantage from their numerical superiority.

From sporadic possession, both Robbie Benson and McMillan created half-chances as the half progressed with Dean Delany gathering the latter’s shot comfortably and the half ended with Devaney striking Barron’s upright from 20 yards.

Bohemians, and Lyons in particular, were especially bright upon the restart and the diminutive midfielder could well have doubled the lead in the 50th minute but his shot from Barron’s fluffed clearance rolled narrowly wide.

They were left to rue that miss as the Students were awarded a penalty of their won five minutes later when Dean Delany upended James Kavanagh after spilling Benson’s initial shot.

McMillan mirrored the calmness of Lyons’ earlier spot-kick with a low drive to Delany’s right, but parity only lasted ten minutes as the hosts regained their lead.

The move’s origin was down the left flank and when Karl Moore’s well-flighted delivery found Lyons in space, Devaney was on hand to shoot smartly beyond a badly-exposed Barron from eight yards.

The same player was unfortunate not to double his tally within ten minutes when, after a kind ricochet left him a clear sight on goal, his well struck shot from 16 yards crashed off Barron’s post for the second time in the match.